News story

Invitation to tender for research from the Low Pay Commission 2016-17

The Low Pay Commission (LPC) has launched an invitation to tender for research on the impact of minimum wages.

The LPC has launched its latest invitation to tender for research. Please see the links below to the projects on the central procurement provider, UKSBS Contracts Finder. The deadline is 14:00 on Monday 6 June 2016. These are open tender calls for research and cover 3 areas:

The impact of minimum wages, especially the introduction of the National Living Wage (NLW), on individuals (BLOJEUCR16046LPC).

Potential areas of investigation might include the impact of the NLW on:

  • individual earnings (both hourly and weekly)
  • household and/or family income (potentially including the interaction with benefits)
  • the pay and reward package (including premia pay, staff rewards and perks)
  • hours and employment
  • self-employment
  • progression and labour mobility
  • types of contract (eg use of variable hours or zero hours contracts)

We will commission up to 3 projects in this area. Link to Contracts Finder

The impact of minimum wages, especially the introduction of the NLW, on businesses (BLOJEUCR16048LPC).

Potential areas of investigation might include the impact of the NLW and how firms are responding or adapting in terms of:

  • pay structures, differentials and work organisation
  • non-base pay (such as unsocial hours, overtime and Sunday/Bank Holiday premia), wider terms and conditions (such as the use of variable hours or zero hours contracts, paid breaks and sick pay provisions), and non-pay benefits (such as annual leave entitlement, pension contributions)
  • progression within the firm
  • hours and employment
  • profits
  • prices
  • productivity, capital investment and training
  • characteristics of jobs (eg evidence of changes to tasks, merging or flexibility of roles and tasks)
  • characteristics of the workforce (eg changes to the age structure or use of apprentices)
  • contracts and outsourcing

We will commission up to 4 projects in this area. Link to Contracts Finder

Other research topics on the impact of the NMW, including the NLW (BLOJEUCR16047LPC).

The LPC invites tenders from researchers with ideas for new or other research that could fruitfully be carried out in relation to the NMW and the NLW, and which would prove to be a suitable project for the LPC to commission. This might include research that looks at international comparisons, non-compliance, or the impact of the Apprentice Rate. We will commission up to 3 projects in this area. Link to Contracts Finder

Updates to this page

Published 16 May 2016